Lock.



No. %30,046. Patented Aug. I, was. r. GALLANT.

LOCK.

(Application filed Mar. 14, 1899.)

(No Wlodal.)

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FRANCIS GALLANT, OF TIGNISII, CANADA.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,046, dated August 1, 1899.

Application filed March 14, 1899. Serial No. 709,115. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS GALLANT, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Tignish, county of Prince, Province of Prince Edward Island, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in looks.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which in its ordinary position is unlocked, which is locked by means independent of a key, and which can only be unlocked by the use of a key.

A further object is to provide a construction which is neat and attractive in appearance, durable in construction, simple and efficient in operation, and which can be made at small cost.

To these and other ends my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in both views, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my improved lock in position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View with the front plate removed, showing the operating parts.

Locks as at present constructed are arranged in several classesnamely, those which are normally unlocked, but which require a key to lock and unlock them, those in which the parts are in locked position when closed, which are unlocked by a key, this class of lock being known as the snap or spring look, while a third comprises the class known as bolts, in which the lock is moved entirely by means secured to the locking-bolt. The present invention differs from these in that the lock although closed is not locked, the locking being done by the movement of a lever which becomes locked and can only be released by the insertion of a key. This makes the lock especially useful for trunks, satchels, &c., mail-bags, car-doors, sliding doors, railway-switches, &c., and the mechanism can be placed in looks of any suitable configuration and use.

To explain the general construction of my improved lock, I refer to the accompanying drawings.

1 designates the back plate, having forweirdly-extending flanges 2 3, designating the top plate, the space within these parts forming the receptacle for the mechanism hereinafter described. The aforementioned parts may be made in any suitable size and shape or they may be portions of other locks.

4 designates the locking-bolt, which is slidably mounted at the lower end of said receptacle, said bolt being formed substantially as shown in Fig. 2, having its rear end provided with an angular face 5, the front end being adapted to be moved through an opening 6, formed in the flange 2, as shown. The bolt is held normally in its inclosed orinoperativc position by means of a spring 7.

S designates the lockinglever, having a configuration substantially as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end being inclined, as at 9, to cooperate with the angular face 5. The lever is also provided with the stop 10, between which and the inclined face 9 is formed a curved recess 11, for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The opposite end of the lever is providedwith a notch 12 and lug 13, the lug being adapted to normally pass within a recess 14, formed in the flange 2 at the top, said lug forming a stop to limit the upward movement of the lever. The upper end of the lever is adapted to pass through an opening 15, formed in the flange 2, as shown. The lever 8 is held normally in its upper or inop' erative position by means of a spring 16, secured to the casing and extending into the notch 12.

17 designates the locking-catch, which is slidably mounted between the studs 18,formed on the back plate 1, said catch being mounted on one end of a spring 19, as shown, the opposite end of the spring being connected to the casing, the front end of the catch being rounded, as shown, to allow of its ready passage over the face of the curved recess 11, within which the catch normally rests. The

catch is provided with a suitable key-engaging portion 20, against which the key operates to open the catch, the key being centered over the stud 21, formed on the back plate 1. Any suitable tumbler arrangement may be used instead of the portion 20 in order that the picking of the lock may be prevented.

22 designates the keyhole formed in the top plate 3.

The operation of the lock is as follows: The parts being in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, which is the normal or unlocked position, the lever 8 is pushed downwardly, causing the face 9 to ride against the face 5 and force the bolt 4 outwardly through the opening 6 into the keeper 23. This down ward movement of the lever 8 is continued until the stop 10 has passed below the plane of the catch 17, whereupon the spring 19 will force the catch into position above the stop 10, looking the lever 8 against return, the parts being then in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This position of the lever 8 prevents the bolt from being forced back, it being impossible to apply sufficient pressure against the outer end of the bolt to force the lever 8 upward. This movement of the lever 8 also brings the upper end flush with the casing of the lock. and prevents any tampering with the lock in the attempt to.

force the lever into its unlocked position. To unlock the parts, it is necessary only that the key be inserted and operated to push the portion 20 backward, carrying the catch out of engagement with the stop 10 and allowing the springs 16 and 7 to force the lever 8 and bolt 4 into their normal positions.

By reason of the placing of the lever 8 and bolt 4 along the flanges 2 it will be apparent that the lock may be made exceedingly narrow, although not so shown in the drawings, in which a greater width was made in order that a clearer conception of the construction and operation may be given.

The advantages of this construction are many, including the fact that the parts are normally in unlocked position, even though in position for locking, and can only be locked by forcing the lever into its inclosed position, locking the bolt by positive action and not depending on a spring to accomplish the locking, and as it requires no key to lock it it is especially useful in the closing of mail-bags, trunks, switches, &c. ,where the time required to unlock the lock prior to its passing to a position ready for locking is an important matter.

WhileI have herein shown a preferred form of carrying my invention into effect, yet I do not desire to limit myself to such preferred details of construction, but claim the right to use any and all modifications thereof which will serve to carry into effect the objects to be attained by this invention in so far as such modifications and changes may fall Within the spirit and scope of my said invention.

Having thus described m y invention, what I claim as new is- 1. A lock, comprising a locking-bolt normally held in unlocked position and having a beveled inner end, a locking-lever normally held out of operative position and movable into operative position solely by the application of pressure from without and having a beveled inner end adapted to coast with the beveled end of the locking-bolt for throwing the same into its locked position, means for locking said lever in its operative position and a key for releasing said locking means, substantially as described.

2. A look, comprising a locking-bolt, nor mally held in unlocked position, and having a beveled inner end, a locking-lever normally held out of operative position and adapted to be moved into operative position by the application of pressure from without, the inner end of said locking-lever being beveled to coact with the beveled end of the locking-bolt, a stop arranged on said lever, a catch slidably mounted adjacent to said lever and adapted to engage said stop and a key for releasing a said catch, substantially as described.

3. Alock, comprisingalocking-bolt, having a beveled inner end, and a spring engaging said bolt for holding it in its unlocked position, a locking-lever having a beveled inner end adapted to coact with the beveled end of the locking-bolt, a spring engaging said lever for holding it in its unlocked position, a stop for limiting the movement of the said lever, a catch slidably mounted adjacent to said lever, a stop arranged on said lever and adapted to be engaged by said catch, a spring engaging said catch for forcing it into engage- 'ment with said catch, and a key adapted to engage said catch for releasing it from engagement with said stop, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

, FRANCIS GALLANT. Witnesses:

GEORGE TWEEDY, A. W. MACKINLEY. 

